The Ones: Key Glock’s “Since 6ix”

With artists releasing songs at a fast and furious pace it’s difficult for the average hip-hop head to keep track of it all—no matter how tapped in they are. That’s why we created The Ones, a daily post to highlight the song you need to hear curated by the Levels team. We sort through all the new songs—across all the platforms and subgenres—so you don’t have to. Thank us later.

Key Glock - “Since 6ix”

In a competitive Memphis hip-hop scene, Key Glock is making a name for himself as the city’s best lyricist. His latest mixtape, Glockoma, further solidifies that rep. On the project, Glock takes every beat thrown his way—whether it’s a crisp flip of a soul sample or a rumbling Tay Keith hard hitter like “Since 6ix”—and lyrically demolishes them. Though his lively personality may not be as over-the-top as some of his Memphis peers like Young Dolph or Blac Youngsta, his charisma is enough to place him among the city’s standout spitters.

On “Since 6ix,” the project’s intro, he sets the stage for his lyrical prowess on an instrumental from Tay Keith and 2LeftHands that captures the dark sound of the city with a sinister melody. Key Glock uses the opportunity to reflect on how far he’s come in both Memphis and hip-hop, while maintaining the holiday spirit (“I used to take shit like the Grinch”) and coating his lyrics in pop culture references (“Bitches falling out like Wendy (oooh)/ Wendy Williams”). Key Glock’s dexterity is on full display here as he raps in triplets, using a Chief Keef-inspired flow in which every line ends with a repeating ad-lib (“oooh”). Through it all Key Glock’s bars never fail to be both clever and hilarious when talking down to his haters: “Them lil ass diamonds, yeah I had to squint, yeah.”